Malaysian palm oil company violates Indonesia's logging moratorium

Malaysian palm oil company violates Indonesia's logging moratorium mongabay.com June 16, 2011 An undercover investigation has found evidence that a subsidiary of Malaysian palm oil company has illegally cleared forest in breach of the Indonesia's moratorium on new permits in primary forest areas and peatlands. A field investigation conducted last month by the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) and Telapak found that PT Menteng Jaya Sawit Perdana (PT Menteng), a palm oil company owned by Malaysia-based Kuala Lumpur Kepong Berhad (KLK), has cleared peat forest near Sampit in Indonesia's Central Kalimantan province without securing proper licenses. PT Menteng had only a Location Permit, not the Plantation Business Permit required under Indonesian plantation law or a permit from the Ministry of Forestry releasing the 7,400-ha (18,300-acre) concession. EIA and Telapak vis...